by Wyatt North
“Jesus Christ, Lord of all things! You see my heart, you know my desires. Possess all that I am - you alone. I am your sheep; make me worthy to overcome the devil.”
– St. Agatha
The beautiful Agatha devoted her life to God as a young girl yet found herself the object of the judge Quintian’s lustful desire. When she refused to marry him during the raging persecution of Decius (249-251), he publicly declared her a Christian. She continued to cling to her God and her virginity, deliberately choosing martyrdom. One of the tortures she endured was having one or both (there are conflicting accounts) breasts removed with pincers. Though St. Peter visited her in prison and healed her wounds, she was again subjected to torture and succumbed at the age of roughly 20. It is fitting that St. Agatha is the patron saint of rape victims, wet nurses, and those afflicted with breast cancer.
“Christ has made my soul beautiful with the jewels of grace and virtue. I belong to Him Whom the Angels serve.”
– St. Agnes
Like St. Agatha, St. Agnes died a virgin-martyr, choosing death rather than breaking her promise to God to remain pure. Born into a wealthy Roman Christian family in 291, she was only 12 or 13 when she was martyred. The suitors she rejected, telling them that Jesus was her only husband, retaliated by telling the authorities she was a Christian. There are conflicting accounts of the exact circumstances of her persecution and martyrdom, but they all feature miraculous interventions to preserve her dignity and spare her dignity. One account relates that when she was condemned to be dragged through the streets naked, her hair instantly grew long enough to shroud her body and that the men who tried to rape her were instantaneously struck blind. Another account tells of an attempt to burn her at the stake that was thwarted when the wood failed to burn and the flames did not touch her, giving her a comparatively easy death by beheading. It is fitting that Agnes is the patron of young girls, chastity, rape survivors, and the Children of Mary.
“Let us abandon everything to the merciful providence of God.”
– St. Albert the Great
The details of the early life of the man who would become known as Albertus Magnus are lost to history, but he is believed to have been born before the year 1200, most likely in Bavaria. He studied the philosophy of Aristotle at the University of Padua, but he joined the Dominican Order and switched to the study of theology after an encounter with the Blessed Virgin Mary in his mid-twenties. A renowned scholar and lecturer, he became the first German Dominican to become a Master of Theology and went on to become the chair of theology at the College of St. James and the teacher of Thomas Aquinas. After an illustrious academic career, Albert served for three years as bishop of Regensburg but resigned because he felt ill-suited to the life of a bishop. He spent the last six years of his life defending the works of Thomas Aquinas, who predeceased him. Albertus Magnus is best known for his prolific writings on a wide variety of subjects, particularly in the sciences. He died in 1280, was beatified in 1622, and was canonized and recognized as a Doctor of the Church in 1931 by Pope Pius XI.
“It is better to be a child of God than king of the whole world.”
– St. Aloysius Gonzaga
The brief life of Aloysius, who was born in Castiglione, Italy in 1591, was characterized by piety, prayer, devotions, and chastity. Having nearly died in childbirth, his mother devoted both her life and that of her son to the Blessed Virgin and taught him to love God. At the age of seven he announced his intention to remain a virgin for life and devote himself to God. Aloysius was sickly as a child and spent his hours in prayer and religious studies, much to the dismay of his father, who envisioned a military career for his son. Despite his father’s opposition, Aloysius taught catechism to the poor while still a boy, and while serving as a page to Prince James in the Spanish Court in Madrid, he impressed the king with his purity of soul and piety. After much deliberation and prayer, Aloysius decided that the best way for him to serve God was by entering the Jesuit Order, after hearing the voice of the Blessed Virgin encouraging him to do so. It took three years of urgent entreaties and demonstrations of his resolve (such as scourging himself until he bled) to overcome his father’s opposition. Aloysius became a Jesuit at 18 and continued to serve others by working in a hospital in Milan during an outbreak of the plague. He died from the dread disease at age 23, with the name of Jesus on his lips.
“You must strive with all possible care to please God in such a manner as neither to do nor behold anything, without first consulting Him, and in everything to seek Him alone and His glory.”
– St. Alphonsus Rodriguez
Until the age of 31, Alphonsus was a Spanish merchant with a wife and three children. He only entered religious life after his entire family died, leaving him alone in the world. Previous exposure to the Jesuits as a young boy led him to seek entry to the Jesuit Order, but after attempting and failing to meet the educational requirements, he was finally admitted as a lay brother at age 40. For 46 years he served in the humble position of porter, or doorkeeper, at the Jesuit College at Majorca. He spoke of regarding every ring of the bell as possibly announcing a visit by God. Alphonsus was 54 when he made his final vows. Highly regarded by his superiors for his piety and his good works in the community, he was often invited to preach on feast days. He died at the age of 85, was declared Venerable nine years later, and was named a special patron of Majorca in 1633. The expulsion of the Jesuit Order from Spain delayed his beatification until 1825, and he was canonized in 1887.
“Oh! happy is he who can say, ‘I have despised the kingdom of the world, and all the glory of the time, for the love of my Lord Jesus Christ.’”
– St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori
Alphonsus Maria de Liguori, born near Naples, Italy in 1696, prepared for a life in the secular world by earning his doctorate from the University of Naples at age 16, and began practicing law at 19. He experienced great success, but having been raised in a pious home by devout parents, he did not lose touch with his faith. A crushing legal defeat due to a mistake he made while representing Duke Orsini led him to believe that God had caused his humiliation to call him to the priesthood. His family opposed his decision, so he agreed that although he would become a priest, he would live at home and serve as a secular missionary. After six years of mission work throughout Naples, he founded the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, but within a year, all but one lay brother had left. Undefeated, Alphonsus started over again, forming a new congregation for men and another for women. He enjoyed his missions in the countryside surrounding Naples and turned down the opportunity to serve as bishop of Palermo, but in 1762 felt he had no choice but to obey the Pope’s command to become bishop of St. Agatha of the Goths.
“They are different from the rich in earthly desires, who, in the present life, whatever riches they possess, are always poor, and live discontented; for the good things of this life do not satisfy our thirst, however much they are increased; wherefore, these persons are never contented, never attaining to the acquisition of what they desire.”
– St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori
In 1762, while Alphonsus Maria de Liguori was serving as bishop of St. Agatha of the Goths outside of Naples, Pope Clement XIV lay dying in Rome, 200 kilometers away, his mind uneasy over having succumbed to the pressure to suppress the Jesuit order. Eyewitnesses reported the arrival of Alphonsus to comfort him in his final moments. But at the very same time, Alphonsus was known to be in his diocese. Thus, Alphonsus performed the miracle of bilocation, being present in two places at the same time.
“Our prayers are so dear to God, that he has appointed the angels to present them to him as soon as they come forth from our mouths.”
– St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori
Alphonsus Maria de Liguori strongly believed that daily prayer was essential to loving God and coming to know Him. He regarded The Great Means of Prayer as his most important book because it explains that humans cannot resist evil and observe all the commandments e
xcept through the grace of God. Following the teachings of St. Augustine, Alphonsus wrote that God gives His graces only to those who ask for them, that “God does not refuse anyone the grace of prayer,” and that salvation can be found only through prayer.
"Between the sufferings of the soul and those of the body there is no comparison."
– St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori
Alphonsus Maria de Liguori was no stranger to physical suffering. Struck by a rheumatic illness in 1768 while serving as Bishop of St. Agatha of the Goths, he suffered great pain for the remaining 19 years of his life. The vertebrae in his neck collapsed until his head was pressing on his neck with enough force to hinder his breathing, but rather than complaining, he thanked God for allowing him to suffer and experience something of what Jesus endured on the Cross. He asked only to be spared in eternity. Due to his illness, Bishop de Liguori resigned in 1775 to spend his remaining years writing. At his death in 1787, his last words were “My Jesus, my Jesus, do not leave me!”
“When we have to reply to someone who speaks harshly to us, we must always do it with gentleness. If we are angry, it is better to keep silence.”
– St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori
Alphonsus Maria de Liguori urged all who would listen and who read his words not to wait until the moment of death to seek salvation. He explained that it was only prudent to settle the affairs of one’s conscience while the opportunity exists, as death can come with no warning. Alphonsus encouraged the rural missionaries to spend much time listening to confessions and comforting the penitent with patience and compassion, explaining that “The more deeply a soul is mired in evil, the more necessary it is to receive him well, in order to extract him from the claws of the enemy.”
“He who desires nothing but God is rich and happy.”
– St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori
Young Alphonsus was educated at home by tutors under his father’s watchful eye. He played the harpsichord masterfully by the time he was 13, enjoyed riding and fencing, and played cards in the evenings. He loved the opera but found theatres morally suspect. He could easily have been seduced by frivolous pleasures and the attention he received during his years as a successful lawyer, and he admitted to spending more time in society and praying less than he should have, but he remained modest and pure. When asked later in life whether Alphonsus had shown any humor in his youth, a childhood friend answered, “Never!” Alphonsus later wrote, “Banquets, entertainments, theatres, these are the pleasures of the world, but pleasures which are filled with the bitterness of gall and sharp thorns. Believe me who have experienced it, and now weep over it.”
“A single bad book will be sufficient to cause the destruction of an entire monastery.”
– St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori
When Alphonsus accepted the see of St. Agatha of the Goths, he found a community of more than 30,000 people and 400 priests. The people were woefully ignorant about God and the Church, and the priests weren’t doing much to change that situation. Through his preaching and leadership, Alphonsus brought about a dramatic change in the city. He insisted on the proper observance of religious rites and imposed more rigorous standards for acceptance into the priesthood. Within a relatively short period of time, the people began participating in Communion and Confession, attending services, and growing closer to God.
“As a mother delights in taking her child on her knees, in caressing and feeding him, so does our God delight in treating with love and tenderness those souls who give themselves entirely to Him and place all their hopes in His goodness and bounty.”
– St. Alphonsus Maria de Liguori
In a time when many thought of God as strict and merciless, Alphonsus Maria de Liguori emphasized the goodness and loving heart of Jesus, but in conjunction with the concept of God’s infinite justice. He reminded the people that “Mercy is promised to those who fear God and not to those who abuse His mercy.” His writings about morality and theology contributed to Alphonsus, beatified in 1816 and canonized in 1839, being declared a Doctor of the Church in 1871 by Pope Pius IX.
“Grow in virtue, in order that the sanctity of this House may last forever, passing on its good traditions to those who come after you. Love one another that charity may be the bond at all times uniting you to all in Jesus Christ.”
– St. Artold the Carthusian
Artold was a member of the contemplative Carthusian order that traces its roots to the French Alps in 1084 and now has 450 monks and nuns living on three continents. Carthusian monks of St. Artold’s time lived solitary lives. Unlike other cloistered orders that lived, ate, worked, and worshipped together, Carthusians rarely left their cells. They lived in silence and solitude except when sharing the liturgy, and this tradition continues today. St. Artold was known for his piety and was the founder and first Prior of the Charterhouse of Arvières in the diocese of Geneva. When chosen to serve as Bishop of Belley, the prospect terrified him, and he hid himself away, but he was found and reluctantly accepted the position. Miracles after his death at the reported age of 105 led to his canonization.
“When we find ourselves in some danger, we must not lose courage, but confide much in the Lord; for where danger is great, great also is the assistance of Him who is called our Helper in tribulation.”
– St. Ambrose of Milan
Ambrose was no stranger to danger. As bishop of Milan, Ambrose faced opposition from the imperial family, which backed the Arians. The Arians did not view Christ as fully divine and were considered heretics by the ecclesiastical authorities. Emperor Valentinian II was a young child when he ascended the imperial throne, and his mother Justina, who wielded the real power during his reign, was an Arian. Ambrose’s refusal to accede to their demand that the Arians be given the use of one of Milan’s three basilicas led him and his supporters to barricade themselves inside the basilica. Despite the obvious risks of challenging Valentinian and Justina, Ambrose maintained that “The emperor is in the church, not above it,” and they backed down.
“The rich man who gives to the poor does not bestow alms but pays a debt.”
– St. Ambrose of Milan
Born to Roman Christian parents in the part of Gaul that is now Germany, Ambrose studied law, literature, and rhetoric in Rome and became consular prefect, or governor, of Liguria and Emilia at the age of 32, with headquarters in Milan. He became bishop of Milan two years later by popular acclamation though he was not even a priest. He gave away his property, studied theology, and became such a strong defender of the Catholic faith that he was named a Doctor of the Church. He was particularly known for the hymns he wrote to spread the gospel. His compassion for the poor and his own rejection of material wealth led to his being known as the patron saint of beggars.
“If it is ‘daily bread,’ why do you take it once a year? . . . Take daily what is to profit you daily. Live in such a way that you may deserve to receive it daily. He who does not deserve to receive it daily, does not deserve to receive it once a year.”
– St. Ambrose of Milan
You’ve probably heard the saying, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” But you may not be aware that it has its origins in Ambrose’s advice to Augustine of Hippo to observe the religious customs of the Church wherever he might be at the time. He told Augustine that when he was in Rome, he fasted on Saturday, as that was the local custom. However, when he was in Milan, where fasting on Saturday was not the custom, Ambrose did not fast either. “Follow the custom of the church where you are,” he suggested to Augustine. Ambrose was known for his flexibility in the manner of public worship. He viewed the liturgy as a tool for the use of the people in worshipping God, and therefore liturgy was adaptable to reflect local custom.
“I stand between two eternities. I must fall either into one or the other.”
– St. Ambrose of Milan
St. Ambrose is credited with several miraculous healings. For example, while he was staying in Rome in the year 382, a woman who was bedridden w
ith palsy was carried to where Ambrose was saying mass, and she begged him to intercede with God on her behalf. According to the account of Paulinus, the ailing woman kissed the hem of Ambrose’s garments while he was praying and laying hands on her, and she instantly regained the ability to walk. He is also said to have driven a demon from a possessed person by touching him with linen used to soak up the blood of the martyrs Nazarius and Celus, whose bodies Ambrose had discovered in a garden near Milan.